Former Yorkshire chair Colin Graves is in line for a controversial return to the club after its board unanimously accepted his bailout offer.
The cash-strapped club has been exploring investment options as it looks to avoid being forced into administration, and claims it has met with “over 350 interested parties”.
However, other options, including a takeover by former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and reported interest from Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners, have failed to materialise.
Graves was Yorkshire chair between 2012 and 2015 and is now in line for a second stint at the helm, with the consortium he heads promising an immediate £1million loan followed by a further £4m cash injection into the club.
The deal must still be ratified by Yorkshire members at an extraordinary general meeting, however, and there remains opposition of Graves’s likely return, given the events that led to the club’s infamous racism scandal partially took place during his original tenure.
A Yorkshire statement on Wednesday night confirmed: “The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club has tonight agreed to recommend the loan agreement from Mr Colin Graves.
“The club will be sending a notice to members tomorrow (Thursday 11th January) ahead of an EGM which will outline the details of the offer as well as the resolutions and rule changes that are required to be ratified by members at the EGM.”
Former spinner Azeem Rafiq, whose allegations of racism during his time as a player at Headingley exposed the scandal in 2020, wrote on X on Wednesday night that Yorkshire is “no longer my club”.
On Thursday morning, Rafiq said he had been targeted by further “racist Islamophobic vile messages” online as a result, and accused the ECB and Yorkshire of “empowering” the abuse.
Last year, Yorkshire admitted an ECB charge of failing to address systemic use of racist and discriminatory language over a prolonged period from 2004 to 2021, and were hit with punishments that included a £400,000 fine and 48-point deduction in the County Championship.
Graves has insisted no racism was reported to him during his time in charge, but was criticised by the ECB last year for suggesting some of the incidents raised had been “banter”. In a fresh statement on Thursday, the 75-year-old apologised for those comments.
“I apologise personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club,” Graves said.
“I profoundly regret some of the language I used when asked about the events that took place when I was chairman, at a time when I was no longer at the club.”
The ECB said it took note of Yorkshire’s acceptance of Graves’s offer, having been in regular contact with the club’s leadership during its financial struggle.
“Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire – and across cricket more widely – in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues,” the body’s statement added.
“We welcome Colin Graves’ commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC). These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal.”
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, chair of the CMS Committee, said: “The disgraceful treatment of Azeem Rafiq by Yorkshire CCC was the tip of the iceberg, with racism, classism, sexism and misogyny found to be entrenched across the sport.
“The publication of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket’s report last year offered a turning point for English cricket, which the ECB appears to be taking.
“The return of Colin Graves to Yorkshire and to English cricket risks undermining what progress has been made so far.
“If the club is serious about rebuilding its reputation as well as its finances, then there needs to be a commitment from Mr Graves and the club to fully respecting the findings of the ICEC and taking action on them.
“The Culture, Media and Sport Committee will be watching closely as this deal progresses, so that the terrible past of Yorkshire CCC does not repeat itself.”
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